Japan perfectly balances a mix of traditional and super-modern - from Shibuya and Akihabara (choreographed scrambles and gamers’ paradise) to temples blanketed in cherry blossoms in Tokyo, nerd and geisha central Kyoto, and loud old ladies and octopus balls in Osaka. Robot bars, too-big-for-the-bowl udon, a Buddhist prayer service, the Hiroshima Peace Museum and a folk village visit (with cat cafes for good measure) will introduce you to the land known for its down-to-the-second precision. Oh, and not to mention lots of powder, if snow is your thing.